Canadian Water Network Speaker Series: Nicholas Parker, Cleantech Group | Blue Economy Initiative Solutions Country Nicholas Parker presents on Canada s water opportunities in the global water context PLAY VIDEO BEI Spotlight Series A Vision for the Future Nicholas Parker explores a vision for the future of sustainable water use and management PLAY VIDEO BEI Spotlight Series Canada s Role in the Future of Water Nicholas Parker explains how Canada can become a world leader in the blue economy PLAY VIDEO BEI Spotlight

Canadian Water Network Speakers Series: Dr. Margaret Catley-Carlson, CWN Board Member | Blue Economy Initiative Session Canada as the Water Solutions Country Nicholas Parker presents on Canada s water opportunities in the global water context PLAY VIDEO BEI Spotlight Series A Vision for the Future Nicholas Parker explores a vision for the future of sustainable water use and management PLAY VIDEO BEI Spotlight Series Canada s Role in the Future of Water Nicholas Parker explains how Canada can become a world leader in the blue

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Canada needs innovative water strategies to capitalize on global food demand | Blue Economy Initiative Canada s opportunity to increase agricultural output in order to meet growing demand for food and highlights the need to ensure the long term sustainability of Canada s fresh water supply The potential increase of Canada s export of agricultural outputs can only be realized and sustained with strategic water management says Hans Schreier co author and professor in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems at the University of British Columbia While our water resources are a comparative advantage over other countries many of our food growing areas fluctuate between periods of drought and flooding Sustainable water management is therefore an essential element of this economic opportunity Agriculture is our biggest water user and also leads in impacts on water resources notes Chris Wood co author of the report To secure both our export opportunity and our natural capital we need to become more conscious of both sides of that equation In order for Canada to reach its potential in becoming a global agri food leader Canada must be strategic in making use of a suite of water management approaches and tools These approaches include virtual water and water footprint analysis to help guide decisions and practices best suited for different watersheds At at national level Canada is the third largest exporter of virtual water the water embedded in the production of export goods in the world This is the third in a series of BEI publications The first report Running Through Our Fingers prepared by Steven Renzetti Diane Dupont and Chris Wood looked at Canada s inability to adequately measure and account for the value of water to our economy The second report Canada as the Water Solutions Country Defining the Opportunities prepared by David Crane helped frame a national conversation around Canada s water related strengths and

Does Canada have what it takes to become a global water leader? | Blue Economy Initiative strengths and capitalize on opportunities to deliver innovative solutions to global water issues The Blue Economy Initiative released the paper Canada as the Water Solutions Country Defining the Opportunities during Canadian Water Network s national conference Connecting Water Resources 2013 Changing the Water Paradigm in Ottawa today A key theme explored Canada s role in building a global blue economy Global spending to address water needs is expected to reach US 1 trillion per year by 2020 double what is being spent today according to the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Canada itself is a significant growth market for water solutions The Federation of Canadian Municipalities estimates it will cost approximately 80 billion to replace drinking water wastewater and storm water infrastructure reported to be in fair or very poor condition in Canada The paper frames a national conversation around the opportunities and benefits of Canada s potential to become a global leader in water innovation and sustainability Author David Crane notes there are good reasons to believe Canada can become a successful water solutions provider If we combine our research strengths our experience with water challenges our best water management systems our skilled workers and our Canadian water companies that deliver water related goods and services Canada s water potential is truly promising he said The paper highlights the global water context outlines some of Canada s water strengths as well as gaps and ends with identifying potential next steps This is the second in a series of Blue Economy Initiative publications The first report Running Through Our Fingers prepared by Steven Renzetti Diane Dupont and Chris Wood looked at Canada s inability to adequately measure and account for the value of water to Canada s economy BEI will be exploring two additional opportunities areas in 2013 focusing first

Wastewater Win-Win | Blue Economy Initiative in the processes was treated and returned to the river The public private partnership between the City of Edmonton Petro Canada and Strathcona County was funded by Petro Canada for approximately 25 million In addition to solving the company s water needs challenge the benefits include enhanced water quality and improved plant capacity with no extra costs to taxpayers The project has also won several awards Sharing costs and resources While both parties agree that the partnership makes great business sense at the time the project was an anomaly in Canada Now it s no wonder others are hoping to strike gold too In June 2012 the City of Regina approved a recommendation for a 45 year deal to supply Western Potash Corp with 40 per cent of the City s treated wastewater The arrangement to supply treated wastewater for use in mine processing would be a first for the City and it is one that Stella Matheson director of water and sewer services calls a win win for everybody Matheson says the 228 million deal is in line with City s mandate to find innovative and sustainable ways to increase revenues streamline efficiencies and narrow the infrastructure gap As part of the arrangement the City would provide Western Potash Corp with access to up to 60 000 cubic metres of recycled water per day for the first six years of mine operation and up to 42 240 cubic metres per day for the remaining 39 years of the contract Small communities don t often have the economic means to build large infrastructure projects so this sort of innovative partnership makes a great deal of sense for places like the City of Dawson Creek British Columbia In recent years the combination of drought residential and commercial needs and demand from nearby natural gas and oil producing fields has placed significant strain on the City s supply of potable water Instead of trying to limit the oil and gas industry s use of expensively treated water in its operations the City elected to treat and trade its own effluent The solution made sense to Shell Canada Energy which also felt the pressure of dwindling water supplies In exchange for 3 400 of the 4 000 cubic metres m 3 of treated water the facility produces each day the company agreed to commit 9 75 million to a new 12 million facility that further treats the outflow from the City s primary lagoon system Dawson Creek covered the remaining 2 25 million a price which includes access to the remainder of the treated water a resource that can be used for watering parks and sports fields or sold to other industrial users for an estimated 500 000 a year This past September the partnership celebrated the opening of its new facility Shell pipes its share of the water to the Groundbirch gas field operations some 48 kilometres west of Dawson Creek There the company uses its own distribution systems to transport the

The Perfect Storm | Blue Economy Initiative a recent Insurance Board of Canada report catastrophic events cost Canadian insurers roughly 1 7 billion in 2011 and almost 1 billion in each of the two previous years The majority of these insured losses were caused by extreme weather events but smaller weather events also played a role in significant property damage for consumers These losses are driven in part by Canada s aging sewer infrastructure which is often incapable of handling the new higher levels of precipitation Underground systems built 50 or 60 years ago often don t have the capacity for extreme weather events says Amanda Dean director of external and government relations at the Insurance Bureau of Canada IBC Atlantic Replacing this infrastructure can cost municipalities millions The Halifax based Ecology Action Centre EAC has been warning Atlantic Canada about the economic impacts of climate change for years The region s infrastructure is not prepared for this kind of weather says Jocelyne Rankin EAC s water coordinator The cost is not limited to capital infrastructure improvements she adds Poorly managed stormwater also affects watershed health and therefore the region s main industries tourism fisheries et cetera that rely on a healthy water ecosystem Low cost big impact Many Canadian municipalities have introduced serious measures to better manage extreme weather risk When an extreme rainfall event in Edmonton in 2004 flooded over 4 000 basements and resulted in 171 million in insurance claims the City developed a Dual Use Stormwater Management Facility Project watch the video read more In Toronto the City tackles polluting stormwater overflows and protects the city s natural waterways with a 1 billion 25 year Wet Weather Flow Master Plan While tax bases in larger cities allow for mammoth spends over time the capital expenses of replacing major systems can be overwhelming for municipalities with strained budgets Some cities have opted to incorporate a softer approach For instance Toronto combines traditional capital builds with a few simple fixes such as approving a bylaw that makes it mandatory for property owners to disconnect their downspouts to help reduce the load on the wastewater system Encouraging these low cost residential stormwater projects could be a more manageable solution for smaller cities and towns Low impact development LID management simply working with nature to manage stormwater as close to its source as possible isn t a new concept but as cities grow to better understand the impacts of more frequent wet weather events there is increased uptake Dean and Rankin s organizations are currently working with Halifax Water and the Halifax Regional Municipality HRM to construct a handful of showcase sites that will demonstrate affordable effective measures and technologies for managing stormwater on small properties A stormwater themed retrofit of an active Halifax fire hall is one such project Once completed the fire hall will boast several affordable LID solutions including rain barrels permeable pavers and a partially permeable parking lot These installations plus site tours and interpretation panels will help visitors visualize how they might

News | Blue Economy Initiative wastewater infrastructure deficit and this estimate is expected to grow under a business as usual approach The Blue Economy Initiative BEI has released a new report Blue City The Water Sustainable City of the Near Future authored by Econics This visionary report is built on the interviews of 17 water related professionals in Canada who share their views on what a water sustainable city might look like and the success stories of existing projects Grounded in research design and innovation this report will help policy makers government officials businesses and community leaders create tangible solutions for sustainable water management on a national and global scale This report is a timely and fascinating look at how communities can move forward with water as a central theme notes Shari Austin Vice President Corporate Citizenship RBC and BEI partner There are excellent cases of successful water projects that communities have already implemented We were fortunate to speak with a diverse distinguished and multi disciplinary cast It was remarkable to note similar themes in our discussions with them said Kirk Stinchcombe Co Founder of Econics and lead author The report focuses on real measures and solutions of urban water issues that exist today This is a very tangible report on a common vision and shared innovations As record infrastructure costs grow the need for innovative solutions alongside innovative funding mechanisms are increasingly in demand Canadians are feeling first hand the changes that need to be made within their own communities For regions and municipalities in Canada this report is a strategic tool for creating a business case and framework for their own water sustainable city The report features interviews with high level managers executive directors and researchers from innovative organizations including IBM City of Toronto Halifax Water and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Strategic steps for a more competitive water sector lead the way to global opportunities | Blue Economy Initiative higher level of consumption of food energy natural resources and industrial products all of which will also increase the demand for water Add the expected impact of climate change on the distribution and availability of water which could leave large numbers of people facing severe water stress and the threats of drought and floods to food production and it s clear water is the most serious challenge we face We can substitute batteries for oil in automobiles but there is no substitute for water So we face a water stressed world Need however equals opportunity The challenge is for Canada to contribute to water strategies and help the world meet the global water challenge How do we utilize our strengths the excellence of our engineering and technical graduates our proven academic research capabilities and our innovative companies that can deliver water goods and services to build up a strong water sector to generate new jobs and competitive companies while helping to meet the overarching global challenge Steps for a world water strategy First Canadians need to raise the level of understanding not only among policymakers but also among the wider public that there is an enormous challenge facing the world and that there is also a significant opportunity for Canada by strengthening our research base and the strength of our companies This is the first great challenge to identify our water champions who will provide the leadership to make Canada a water solutions country These champions must come not only from academia and our clean water companies but also from the user community our municipalities and businesses that need a safe and reliable water supply Water users have a significant stake in a solutions strategy There is the risk of complacency due to a widespread public assumption that Canada s abundant water supply means we don t face water challenges Yet Canada itself faces challenges to improve water quality and sanitation performance meet the threats of droughts and floods in agricultural lands ensure the efficient and sustainable use of water in energy and mining industries meet the water needs of First Nations and improve water efficiency and conservation technologies and practices in the economy and society Meeting domestic challenges through innovative solutions will strengthen the research base and the capabilities and competitiveness of Canadian water companies This means efforts to balance federal and provincial budgets must not come at the expense of research or improvements in water infrastructure Cutting these investments would mean a weaker future Canadian economy Research and infrastructure spending are investments in a more secure and sustainable future Ensuring water quality standards stretch water users including municipal water and wastewater systems and water intensive industries to meet world leading standards is another effective way to drive innovation and develop new skills Leading edge water quality and efficiency standards and full cost pricing would create a market for innovative water solutions It is important that the water user community be an early adopter of new technologies and practices

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